


Sleeping Arrangements

by notabadday



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-07
Updated: 2015-10-07
Packaged: 2018-04-25 07:58:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4952581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notabadday/pseuds/notabadday
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Following on from the events of 3x02, 'The Purpose in the Machine', Fitz and Jemma begin their recovery. </p>
<p>
  <i>In the aftermath of blue sandstorms and space portals, Fitz and Jemma are inseparable. Nothing else comes into focus, friends simply orbiting around them at a distance. They know they are broken, thumbing the cracks of each other with quiet, cautious words. But they’re together. For now, that has to be enough. </i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sleeping Arrangements

In the aftermath of blue sandstorms and space portals, Fitz and Jemma are inseparable. Nothing else comes into focus, friends simply orbiting around them at a distance. They know they are broken, thumbing the cracks of each other with quiet, cautious words. But they’re together. For now, that has to be enough.

 In private moments, her eyes fix on his skin with such unblinking intent that he doesn’t know whether she’s looking at him or once again lost to that barren, blue wasteland. He forces a smile and she instinctively smiles back, even less convincingly.

 When he holds her and Jemma buries her face into his neck to cry, she can’t see the way Fitz bites his lip. He hides his tears behind hers. He quells tremors before they can build.

 She wakes from another nightmare and Fitz’s head lifts from the edge of her bed in alarm, his body resting against her bed frame from a seat on the floor. Jemma looks at him without a word. He’s used to their wordless conversations. Though their history is filled with as many words as can be exhaled, their present is a series of silences. When she speaks, it’s a pleasant surprise.

 Quietly, vulnerability in her tone, Jemma begins to ask: “Do you have to-?”

 “I’m not going anywhere,” Fitz assures her.

 “I don’t want to be alone.”

 “Me either,” he says with a sympathetic smile, eyes making promises. Jemma relaxes. Now seems like as good a time as any to broach a topic he’s been contemplating since the night of their reunion. “I was thinking… I… and you can say no, Jemma, honestly, I won’t take any offence… I was thinking of asking Coulson to bring in a second bed. The floor is-”

 “Yeah. That’s a good idea.” She nods gently.

  

* * *

 

 

Coulson installs a second bed in Jemma’s room before night falls. In fact, Bobbi had suggested the idea to their boss already. She makes sure to bring his memory foam pillow along too. The imprint of his head has almost disappeared, he’s been so long without it.

 Left alone for the night, Fitz and Jemma lay in bed staring at each other in another of their silences, forced smiles and teary eyes. Fitz dozes off first. She watches him, observing the subtle rise and fall of his chest.

 Jemma doesn’t wait long before stepping out of her bed to tiptoe across the room, cold floor stinging her bare feet. She picks up the corner of his duvet and pulls it over herself as she climbs into Fitz’s bed. He stirs enough to slide back a little, making room for her, but never opens his eyes. It might just be a dream. Better not to risk it.

 Only half-consciously, Fitz wraps his arms around her, bringing her comfortably into his new bed. His touch is her lifeline. She settles there. It takes a little while but Jemma falls into a heavy, dreamless sleep inside his embrace.

 She sleeps through till morning and wakes to his smile.


End file.
